22 Nebraskaland • April 2024
miley Canyon Scenic Drive has
long allowed visitors to immerse
themselves in the grandeur of
the Pine Ridge without leaving
their vehicles. The winding road has
surely brought some smiles to drivers —
and, yes, some frowns in its early years.
Believed to have been named for a
family of Smileys that settled in the
vicinity in 1893, the drive is one of the
best ways to see the park's bison herd,
pronghorn, mule deer, the occasional
bighorn sheep and an array of bird
species. The 5½-mile paved road climbs
about 900 feet from just west of Fort
Robinson State Park's central campus
to the top of the ridge and its butte-top
vantages.
BELOW: A brown thrasher perches on
a pine branch in Smiley Canyon. The
canyon is a popular destination for
birdwatchers.
RIGHT: A blooming plum thicket and the
rising sun signify new beginnings where
the road courses along the canyon and
its deep ravine.
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